Letter-box



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HARXVOOD, OF OSHKOSH, XVISOONSIN.

L ETT E R B O X SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 452,705, dated May 19, 1891. Application filed May 13, 1890- Serial No. 351,598. (No model.)

To all 1071,0112. it hwy concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN I-IARWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oshkosh, in the county of Winnebago and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Letter-Boxes and Door- Plates Combined and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to combined letterboxes and door-plates, and has for its object to provide a box which will be simple in construction, durable, compact in arrangement, and adapted to receive a vast amount of mailmatter compared with its size.

The improvement consists in the novel features and the peculiar construction and combination of the parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and. which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a mailbox embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, parts being broken away, of the box, the cover and the door being open. Fig. 3 is a section showing the operation of the cover on dotted lines and the motion of the weighted flap which closes the mail-receiving opening. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the hinge and angle-brace. Fig. 5 is an end view of the said hinge. Fig. 6 is a front view of the hinge. Fig. 7 is a front view of the door-plate. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the said door-plate. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the door-plate on the line XX of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a detail section on the line X X of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

The letter-box comprises the sides A, the back B, the top 0, the slanting bottom D, and the door E. The top '0, sides A, and bottom D for economy of construction are made of wood, which are re-enforeed or covered by sheet metal, the edges of which are bent over the edges of the said parts 0, D, and A, and overlap the edges of back 13, as shown. The top 0 is provided with the opening (Z to permit the insertion of the mail in the box. The flap F is pivotally supported along one edge of the opening (Z and normally extends across the said opening, being held in this position by the weight f, which is attached to the vertical memberf of the said flap.

The door E is hinged at its lower end in line with the top edge of the inclined bottom D by the hinges G, which are L shape in crosssection and which are secured to the angle between the bottom D and sides A, thereby bracing and strengthening the said back. Each hinge G comprises the two parts 9 g, which are relatively at right angles to each other. The part g is provided at its upper end with the car 9 through which the hinge-rod G passes, and the part g is provided with the shoulder 9 which engages with the lower edge of the said door G and limits the downward movement of the said door and holds it in an approximately horizontal plane, thereby forminga support for the letters or other mail-matter and preventing the mailmatter from falling on the ground. The cars e overlap the ears g and the hinge-rod G passes through the said ears and pivotally connects them together. The sight-opening H in the lower portion of the door is protected by glass, and is adapted to be closed by the flap h, which is hinged at one side of the said sight-opening. When the flap 7]. is turned out of the way, the owner of the box can see if any mail has been deposited therein without the necessity of opening the box; but if it be desired, as in temporary absence, to close the said opening H, the flap h is turned over the same. The openings '5 in' the upper portion of the door are designed to' receive the name of the owner of the box and any other matters, such as the number of the house, occupation, or any matters desired. Such matter as is desired to be exposed in the openings '6 is printed on'slips of paper and placed in said openings, being held therein from on tward displacement by glass and from inward displacement by the metal plates I, which are fitted in recesses or rabbets formed in the inner side of the said door, said plates being held in place by pins i, passing through lugs i cast or otherwise formed on the door. The door E is fastened by any suitable lock.

The cover J has hinged at its rear end the standard j, which projects up from the back of the box snlliciently far to form a rcceptacle between the said cover and the top of the box to receive newspapers, circulars, and periodicals of whatsoever character. This cover is held positively closed by the spring K, which is secured at its ends to the said cover and the top of the box, substantially as shown.

The box as hereinbefore described is especially designed to be placed in exposed places; but when designed to be secured to the inner side of the door of the dwelling apartment or place of business I have constructed the following plate to be secured on the outside of the said door: This plate L may be suitably embellished or adorned, and is provided at its upper end with the word Mail, and has an opening 1 near its lower end for the insertion of the mail-matter, which opening is closed by the plate M, which is hinged thereto at its upper end and which is held shut by the spring m. This plate M is designed to receive a name, and in this capacity serves a double purpose of a door-plate and a flap for closing the opening Z, and when detached from the plate L can be used as a door-plate simply. By reason of the inclined bottom D the letters as they are inserted in the box will fall forward, thereby rendering it ditlicult to remove them through the opening cl, and cansing the said letters to lie in a compact form, in that they will pile one on the other, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A mail-box having the letter-slip opening in its top and having its bottom inclined upwardly from rear to front, and having its front side open, and a door for closing the front side of the box, hinged in line with the bottom and adapted to open outward and form a support for the mail-matter, substantially as described.

2 The combination, with a mail-box having the mail-receiving opening'in its top, of a fiap pivoted at one side of the opening and adapted to extend across and close the same and constructed to open downward, and havin g a weighted vertical member, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a mail-box having the mail-receiving opening in its top, of the cover J, hinged at one edge to standards which project vertically from the said box and which is adapted to extend over the top of the box and form a receptacle above the said top of the mailbox for pamphlets and mail of similar nature.

i. The combination, with the box having the mail-receiving opening at its top, of the cover J, hinged at one edge and adapted to extend over the top of the said box and form a mail-receiving compartment above the said top, and the spring K for positively holding the said cover closed, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the box and the door having ears 6, of the hinges having corresponding ears and having shoulders 1 which limit the outward movement of the said door, and the hinge-rod passing through the said cars c 9 substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the box, of the door having a sight-opening which is closed by glass, and a flap arranged on the inner side of the door for closing the said opening, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN l-I'ARWOOD. Witnesses:

A. II. WEExs, Grills. 13. W. RYCIUIAN. 

